Pirate Cove

Am Sonntag sind wir zu einem sehr interessanten Freibad in Englewood (das ist mitten in Denver) gefahren, welches sich 'Pirate Cove' nennt. Eigentlich ist der Eintritt relativ teuer, aber wir haben ihn zu 50% guenstiger bekommen.

So sind wir trotz Papa's Nierensteinen hin und die Kinder hatten sehr viel Spass:

nach der ersten Runde im Lazy River und

Playhouse erstemal eine Staerkung

der Lazy River mit den Reifen, die man dafuer nutzt

das Playhouse mit all seinen Wasserspielen. Ganz oben befindet

sich ein riesiger Eimer, der mit Wasser volllaeuft und dann auskippt

Fuer die Kleinen...Wasserspiele, die aus dem Boden kommen und ein

kleiner Pool mit pilzigem Wasserfall

Ausserdem gab es noch eine grosse Flaeche mit Sand, in der die Kleinen buddeln konnten. Olivia und Jonah hatten maechtig Spass, aber nach 2 Stunden wollten sie dann auch wieder nach Hause...zuhause ist's immernoch am Schoensten!

Moving out!

Olivia was sleeping in Jonah's room for quite a while but it drove me nuts that the kids were still arguing over stuff or hitting each other or jumping off of each other's bed to the opposite bed...somehow the kids were not falling asleep as fast as we hoped.

And since the weather was cloudy a lot in the afternoons (means, Olivia's room facing west was not as hot as it used to be during the summer) I decided to move her back into her room. She was not really happy about it but I needed to draw a line about the kids' behaviour in the evening.

So, it took me about 2 weeks to get clothes, furniture, toys and decoration transfered into the right rooms but this is now the final outcome:

For my German friends: The big white thing between trunk and window is a portable aircondishion that hooks up into the window. Currently it is not hooked up into it.

Camping

In June we went camping - in our back yard!

This time both kids were with me in the tent, last year I only had Olivia sleeping with me.

Jonah was really eager to stay in the tent overnight, too.

It was so much fun to get the tent up, the mattress blown up, snacks and drinks ready, portable DVD player, flash lights, blankets, pillows...the entire shebang!

The kids slept wonderfully but I could not sleep..I probably slept for an hour or so - wind and full moon does not help me sleeping at all! LOL

The kids watched a Dora movie from the library

going to bed

we are all in good spirits

Princess Jonah - again!

Our little Hulk Princess Jonah

Vacation Bible School

Olivia got invited by a friend of preschool to a vacation bible school that Brooke (the friend) attends this week. It is not too far from here, obviously free of charge but unfortunately in the evening from 5:30 to8 pm.

At first, Olivia did not want to go but later she changed her mind and wanted to go when I would stay there, too.

So I called Brooke's Mom back to let her know that Olivia would be okay when I would stay (and so would Jonah) and we agreed to be there.

At first my kids where shy but then they had a blast.

First they learned a bible verse:

'Love your Lord,

love your neighbor!'

and the teacher explained what this verse means in giving examples and had a little play (Himmel und Hoelle) with it.

Story time followed (with the help of puppets) about a good Samaritan who helped the weak

when nobody else did.

Then the gang of 17 kids had some snack and finally got dressed in old men's button down shirts for the craft of the day: making your own T-Shirt.

Back we got into the church and the kids got to sing songs.

Pooped but happy Olivia and Jonah got home and they both want to go back tomorrow!!

Of course, my boy jumping around while everybody else tries to do the movements...Olivia is somewhere in the background